The Next Phase
by BlackMoonShine
Summary: What happened to Remy after Antarctica? How will the X-men react to the news that Gambit is alive? What is Remy like now? Will he forgive and forget, or....? And When did Gambit turn out to have a creepy dead sister?


I have probably had the most fun writing this story out of all my others. I wrote this while I was away and decided to get it up before I had another school of not being able to. Hope you guys enjoy this story as much as I did writing it! I also stole some characters from A.Atwater Rhodes book, In the Forest Of The Night.

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It had been two years since Antarctica. Almost everything in the mansion stayed the same, yet changed so drastically. The mansion was empty without Gambit's laughter and talking. Most of the residents avoided going onto the west wing of the third floor so as to not have to pass by his room. 

Bobby continued to play his pranks, but with much less enthusiasm as he had before. Hank, normally able to keep the balance between work and play had thrown himself into his research. Jean had been saddened and became very quite. Scott also didn't talk as much, a brooding look almost constantly on his face as he thought about his failure. Storm spent most of her time in her loft with her plants and was the only on who would go near Remy's room. She seemed to take comfort as she rested her hand on the warm wood of his door before she passed. Everyone else went about their daily lives as though nothing had changed.

Ororo Monroe, know as Storm, walked into the room. Jean looked at her concerned as she saw the tears in her friend's eyes. "Ro what's wrong?" She asked genuinely concerned. Ororo rarely showed emotion. "Nothing is wrong." Jean could hear the happiness over flowing from her voice. "I am so happy." She sighed. "I just received some news I believe you might enjoy." She said with a mischievous glance but an inner light that had been missing for so long had reappeared, shining from her face. "What?" Jean asked curious. If this news could make Ororo excited, maybe it would cheer her up.

"Remy's alive!" Jean's mouth dropped in shock. She commandeered her senses. "How did you find this out? Did he contact you." Ororo's mood dropped a bit but her happiness still clung to her. "No. His sister called to tell me." Hearing Jeans gasp she explained. "Once he found out what the mansion was like he didn't tell us about her because she was also a mutant and he…she's not the most stable person. He didn't want to put her in a place like this with so much stress." Jean nodded her head in understanding. And it wasn't like any of them had asked anyways. " Arera is trying to get him to see me but he refuses." Ororo's face had taken on a worried cast. "Why does he not wish to see me? He is my brother and I am his sister. I was hoping that Antarctica wouldn't change that."

For the next few days both Ororo and Jean were back to there old selves. No one could explain it but it was wonderful to have them back. Finally, Ororo sat down with Jean at the empty kitchen table. She was so excited her hands were trembling. "Arera finally managed to get him to meet with me. But for some reason she feels that I will be disappointed. She said, and I quote, "He's not the same person he was when you left him'. Of course I know that Antarctica was hard on him, it was hard on everyone. But I can't wait to see his smile. I'll tell you about it when I return." With that she stood up and walked out the door. Jean heard one of the cars rev up and the squeal of tires on asphalt as Ro peeled out of the driveway.

"Storm got home an hour ago." Scott stated. He couldn't understand the changes in his wife. She reminded him of how she used to be. She thanked him before running up the stairs to Storm's loft.

She was surprised when she opened the door and Storm was lying face down on her bed crying. Suddenly her good mood deflated. "He's dead isn't he? His sister lied." Ro looked at her. She nodded. "Remy's dead." Jena was surprised when she continued. "Gambit's dead. His sister didn't lie. His body's still living I suppose if that's what you'd call it.. But I don't know the man there anymore. His sister was right. He's not the same. He's not even there." "We're going to go talk to him later, you and me." She stated firmly.

Jean was sort of surprised as they pulled up into a deserted patch of grass by the edge of a forest. Gambit didn't seem like the type of forestry person to reside in a place like this. "He's not in the woods." Ororo said. She began walking down a path that Jean wouldn't have even noticed. As she looked closer she realized that it was well worn, probably by something light like forest animals.

She was even more surprised when, about after a mile of walking, they emerged into a clearing that looked like a little town. She shivered. This place radiated dark feelings and it seemed like a red blood lust crept into her mind, forming around the edges of her vision. "I don't like the feeling of this place." She whispered softly, more to herself then to Ororo.

They walked into a bar type looking building with the words Las Noches on it's side. When they walked into the room, she felt the blood lust grow stronger. The music was so loud and the base so high that she felt it shake in the marrow of her bones.

The people here looked dark. A women looked at her, a feral lust in her mind, but she turned back to her companion, threw her head back, and took a long drag of a liquid out of a bottle.

There were red strobe lights flashing from the ceiling, giving everything a crimson washed look.

"There she is!" Storm had to yell to be heard over the blaring music, even though she was right next to her. She grabbed Jean by the hand and pulled her along. They ended up in a shadowy corner Jean wouldn't have noticed if Ororo hadn't pulled her into it.

There sat a small impish looking child. She grinned widely at them and for a moment Jean could see a world of mischief in her eyes. Jena was surprised to see that the girl's eyes were completely black.

"Come, come, join me." She said in a laughing tone. Her voice sounded like the wind and like many different voices at once. Her voice ranged from booming deep to little bells. Her eyes were laughing at them. She lazily waved her hand to the direction of two chairs opposite her.

She looked as if she were around ten. She was wearing a dress of red material. It looked as if spiders had spun it from silk. When a man approached the table, the girl turned to talk to him and Jean could see that the dress had no back. It also had long strips of torn material that reached her knees.

"Don't worry so much 'Ro. I wouldn't give you anything we would drink." Jean felt shivers run down her spine yet again at the girl's strange voice, but Ororo only nodded. "Be sure that is so Arera." Jean felt herself gasp. "Your Remy's sister?" She gave her a smile but didn't speak. She gave a curt nod of her head before the same man that had come over before placed drinks in front of herself and her guests.

They sat in silence for a few moments, occasionally sipping their drinks but none of them saying anything. Then without warning the music and the base were turned down considerably and the room felt unusually silent.

Once again Arera smiled up at someone behind their heads. Ororo stiffened. "Hello. Would you care to say hello to your guests, or, dare I say it, sit and associate with us young one?" Jean felt someone's ice cold hand touch the back and suddenly someone was slowly whispering words into her ear,

"Little humans ten to two,

Travel down the path once new,

To the road, to the road,

Though the darkness bode,

Scamper little faerie ones,

For to your death you go."

In a swift liquid movement someone was across the table. Remy bent down and kissed his sister on the cheek as she smiled. Jean's shock paralyzed her as he pulled a chair over to the table and turned it backwards before sitting.

Remy's eyes burned hotly, but his face was neutral. Jean could feel the pissed vide coming off of him. He looked her directly into her eyes. Jean felt hypnotized and couldn't look away. He broke away from the stare. He took the bottle Arera had been drinking from and took a swig of it. Immediately, his surprisingly pale skin regained some color. Jean also noticed a lot of different things.

He had cut his hair so it was only an few inches long. He had a scar running through his eyebrow, and he was wearing eyeliner, which Jean had to admit, was very sexy. But other then that, he looked exactly the same, and if it wasn't for the rage she could feel in his mind, and the empty look in his eyes, Jean would have sworn he was the same.

"Why did you come back here Ororo." His voice chilled her. Although it still retained it's smoky quality, it was accent less. She had also never heard him address Ro in such a formal, cold tone. The look he gave storm made icicles prick Jean's skin. His gaze burned with anger, but Jean could also see the hurt and betrayal she had caused him by leaving him there. When he looked at Jean for a moment she could see the same hurt there.

"I…" Storm's eyes flashed to the door. She looked like she wanted to leave this place, leave Remy behind.

"Come back with us," Jean cut in, pleading. He gave her a bitter smile and shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea." "Why not?" Jean continued. "Because he'd end up killing some." Storm cut in cooly, stopping Jean's persuasion. "Wouldn't you? You can't contain the lust. It'd break free. And the x-men can't have a murderer amongst them." Remy snorted before taking another long swig from the bottle he held. "You right. I would end up killing someone. Either that or I would die. And I no longer hold compassion for your kind." They could tell by the freezing look in his eyes that he told the truth. "But," he continued. "The x-men do hold a murderer among their ranks. And one day she will get her due." He stood up with liquid grace as if he hadn't even sat at all.

"Come on!" A dark haired dark eyed man gestured to Remy. "Your girl's here. She practically begging." Behind him stood a pretty girl. She looked to be about twenty or so. She had long brown hair and big hazel eyes. She stared at Remy with love in her eyes. When the man who was holding her arm let go of her she ran into Remy's arms and trembled with excitement and want and need in his arms. Remy bent down and placed a gossamer kiss on her collarbone, letting the kiss travel up to her neck. Placing one under her ear, Jean felt the presence intrude in her mind. It was so powerful it just pushed right passed her shield.

_Don't come back here unless it's important. Don't bring anyone else here, or let anyone know I'm here. I can't say that they would live through the experience._ She was shocked when she realized that it was Remy in her mind. Ororo grabbed her roughly by the wrist and pulled her out of the building, all the way to where she had parked the car. "We can never go back there." Her voice was firm. Jean has to reluctantly nod her head. She agreed. They could never go back there.

Two days later Jean was walking down the hall. She was tied and drained. She stumbled and strong hands caught her before she could fall. "Easy there sugah." Then suddenly, the line of skin right above Rogue's glove made contact with Jeans arm. Jean stumbled again as Rogue grasped her head between her hands. She screamed with anger before her eyes cleared and she was herself. "He's alive!" She yelled. The crowd they had gathered look at one another confused. 'Gambit's alive!" Everyone was alive once again, whispering frantically to one another. "He's alive!", "It can't be!"

Jean stared at the ground shamefaced as Rogue glared accusingly at her. Scott was the first one to speak up. "We should get him. Try and make up to him what we did." Others nodded but a few mumbled their disagreements. Jean looked at each other and shook their heads sorrowfully as they followed the others.

They were walking carefully through the forest. Rogue was walking with them rather then flying above. Everyone stayed a safe distance away because they knew that look on her face. She was seriously pissed.

"You shouldn't be here." A little voice whispered. It sounded like she was all around them before they noticed the little girl standing in front of them. She was dressed all in green, in a similar looking dress that Arera had been wearing the other night. She wore little cloth shoes and an anklet of bells that tinkled when she moved. Her right foot was slightly crossed over her left and her hands were clasped behind her back. She had flowing blond hair that seemed to be tinted green and sea green eyes that stared straight to their souls. She was the picture of innocence.

"You shouldn't be here." She repeated. "Wha shouldn' we be here?" Rogue asked, bending down so here eyes were level with the girl's. The girl stared at her for a moment. "Because they want you." With that she disappeared, but the sound of bells could still he heard.

They walked a few more yards before they heard a different voice chanting from the cover of the trees.

Child child,

Touch of skin,

Makes me wonder how you've been,

Stealing souls that's what you do,

One of us, that's you to.

Different ways to kill and maim,

Yet all of us, all the same.

Jean stepped next to Storm. "Do these people have a thing for rhyming or something?" She whispered through the side of her mouth so only Ro could here. Ro shook her head. "They are telepathic people. No shield you posses will stop them. They no the best ways to scare you, the best words to make you angry. Right now they've scared her and made her angry. They know that that will make her rash and careless. Their planning something."

Planning something they were. Jean could feel a presence. She knew Logan could too because he kept glancing back over his shoulder. Suddenly she felt someone near her. "Hello" Arera whispered to her. Logan caught sight of the girl and glared as her dropped back to them.

"What are you doing here Arera.?" He growled at her, softly as to not draw attention to their new companion. 'I'm here for the show," She answered impishly. "What-" "Who the fuck are ya?" Rogue screeched. Everyone was now facing them. Rogue was glaring at her, hands on her hips. That glare would freeze people with fear or root them to the start. Arera just smiled as she jumped from foot to foot. "Me? Why I'm just a lost little child." Storm tried to signal to her that that was the wrong thing to say Arera just ignored her and continued. "What are you doing here? This forest isn't yours. The ones who own this ground don't like you on it. I can here them talking. They want you gone, and if you don't hurry up they will make you leave." Rogue opened her mouth to speak, but the girl continued chattering, her voice surprisingly normal, and Jean had to wonder what was going on. "The people at your destination don't want you there either. You've injured one of their own. The only reason they haven't attacked you is because He ordered them not to. Only if you try to hurt them will you be attacked. There is one girl, whom if you attack, He will kill you himself. Your not allowed to touch her."

Rogue rolled her eyes at this but didn't say anything, but gasped when Arera vanished from sight. "Oh wonderful," She muttered. "Another teleporter." Ro snickered a little but didn't say anything. They continued walking. About ½ mile down the road, Bobby tripped and

fell. Everyone gathered around and helped him up. When they had straightened, there stood the dark haired, dark skinned man from the other night.

He grinned predatorily at them but said nothing, only stepped closer to Rogue, so in the end she was staring directly into his strong, broad chest. "Hello there little ones. What brings you so far from home? Into this dangerous looking forest no less." He said patronizingly. It was a low rumble in his chest. Rogue made a move as if to punch him but he grabbed her wrist in a tight grip. "Now that wouldn't be nice. You wouldn't be wishful of attacking me would you?" He grinned and laughter poured from the cover of the trees. Rogue whipped around. "Show ya selves!" She was glaring angrily all around her. There was more laughter.

Then without warning, people appeared, sitting on tree limbs, or at the roots. They were smiling peacefully, but there was a hint of expectation and excitement in their faces. "Jesus." Storm whispered in dread. She knew what was going on, because she had witnessed something of the like years before. She pulled Jean and Logan by the arms, leading them behind her as she dragged them behind a tree. "You don't want to be involved in this." She whispered quietly, almost non existent for their ears.

Arera looked at the scene unfolding for a moment before she walked forward. She placed her hand on the man's arm, softly. He looked her in the eyes for a moment. His grin sagged and it seemed as if their was silent communication transferring between them, but Jean couldn't sense a link with her telepathy. He shook his head ruefully before turning an walking to a near by tree. Within the bat of in eyelash he was lounging comfortably in one of it's branches. Rogue glared at him before turning her glare onto the girl.

She hated the sight of the girl. She looked like someone she wanted to forget, to leave in the snows of her memory and never recall. Someone who had, in the citadel, tried to make her face the dark, unforgiving part of her soul. She had never forgiven him for doing that, for trying to make her face herself, so in return, she left him to die. She left Gambit to die.

A terrifying anger welled up in her stomach. Gambit! This girl must be related to him. She knew! Her eyes narrowed as she looked Arera over. She could easily kill this girl. She just had to provoke an attack, so she would have the opportunity to claim it as an accident. She had to do it slyly though, so no one would realize her true intent. She never saw the knowing glances mass amongst the others, never knowing that they knew her every thought, every fear, every deep dark crime she had ever thought of or committed.

She looked at Arera with wide-eyes innocence. "Why are you trying to stop us sugah?" She said sweetly. Arera raised an eyebrow at her. "We're not stopping you. This is a visual warning of what will happen if you try to harm him, or anyone here. We will all join together and kill you." She said this in all seriousness, but with that little girl quality only she could posses. Rogue's temper rose slightly, but she kept rein on her emotions. "Ya'll can't kill me. I'm invincible." Arera laughed without humor. "So are we." Rogue became uncomfortable as everyone else nodded in agreement, she even Saw Storm and Logan nod. Jean just looked confused about what was going on.

Murder in the frozen ice,

Deep dark secret,

Of your own device,

All through time,

You hope they forget,

The bloody crime,

They n'er knew commit.

Rogue's control of her temper flew out the roof. She swung at the girl, only to have her jump lightly back, out of her reach. Everyone else just watched in silent, morbid fascination. The other x-men, Scott, Bobby, Betsy, Warren, Morrow, and Hank watched from the sidelines, shocked at Rogue's violent reaction, and the girls super-humanly fast reflexes.

Rogue stepped a little from the ground and flew at the girl. She hit Arera straight in the center of her chest. The x-men were shocked as the girl didn't even stagger and Rogue flew backwards. Her back slammed forcefully into the tree behind her. She groaned, but her rage was just being fueled as she vowed vengeance against these people.

Arera looked at her, bored. Rogue realized that she wouldn't be able to harm her right now. She turned to the dark prince. He had moved position and now stood lazily against a tree, his attention of a fair haired, faired skin girl who chattered softly to him. He nodded his head as he listened to her but never took his eyes off her.

With a low growl, Rogue flew straight for him. He must have heard something for he turned and looked at Arera, thinking that she was about to be attacked again. His reflexes were to slow once he realized Rogue's target.

She slammed into him with such a strong force, that her momentum carried her to the ground with him. When she stood up she looked down upon him with satisfaction. His neck had been broken and she couldn't see the rise and fall of his chest.

She turned back to see horrified reactions, only to see that the only reactions of those kind were coming from her teammates. The others just looked at each other and shrugged their acceptance.

She was close enough to the girl now that she could touch her. She pulled back her fist and with all her strength, swung at the girl. Her fist was jarred back when a wall of black fire appeared in front of her. She heard her teammates gasp. She turned around and glared at them. It wasn't uncommon for a mutant to have a defensive power like that, she'd just have to find another way to get around this girl's defenses.

When she followed the trail of their gazes, she felt as if the air had been punched from her lungs. She stood their, gasping for air, hoping to God that what was in front of her was an illusion.

Remy looked at her from, his head tilted down slightly, his familiar crimson and onyx eyes glaring accusingly at her from under his eyebrows. She almost didn't recognize him, only his eyes made certain what she saw.

He looked like he carried a deep hurt scarred into his soul, but he seemed stronger then he did before. She couldn't explain it, but she just had this gut feeling, almost as if she could feel his strength emitting from his body.

She looked down to where his hands hung loosely by his sides. One hand was glowing with black fire being held in his palm, yet it didn't burn him.

"Don't touch her." His voice was soft yet it carried to everyone's hearing as if he was standing right beside them. She laughed harshly and many people cringed, even her own teammates. "What? Ya little whore? Why should I car' if ya fuckin' her? I was going ta kill her before. Now I get it even better. I get to kill _you_ a second time." She looked at him, hoping in her soul for a reaction. He just shook his head at her sadly. There was none of the fear in his eyes that she wanted to see, none of the fear that had been there when she had left him in Antarctica. He had hurt and the pity that burned in his eyes fueled her irrational anger.

Snarling she flew at him. When she was close enough, he back handed her with a careless gesture that sent her flying a few feet away into the foliage. Still shaking his head he walked gracefully to the spot where she had landed.

In a few seconds he returned with her hanging limply in his arms. When she had landed she had hit her head, rendering her unconscious. He gently placed her on the ground. Straightening up he looked at his sister.

"Are you alright?" He asked gruffly, but his eyes revealed his concern. She grinned at him. "Of course." She waved her hand through the air flippantly.

Jager walked up to them. The bone in his neck had re-healed itself. He wrapped his arms around both their waists. "So what should we do with her." He looked at the rest of the x-men who watched them with somber eyes. He could see the fear in them, and the despair. "With them." He asked, jutting his chin, indicating the x-men.

When Remy looked at them his eyes softened a bit. "Let them go." Jager made a noise of protest but Remy cut him off. "They've done nothing worth being punished for. Let them go." He looked at Storm. "Would you like to take her with you?" He asked signaling to Rogue. Ororo stood in thought for a moment. "She killed you. All though it may have been Jager who turned you into a vampire, she is still, in my mind, the one who took you away from me." The x-men gasped hearing her admission. Remy could hear the word "vampire" circling amongst their hushed voices. Some of them now regarded him with fear as they looked upon him. He paid them no mind.

"What you are telling us we may do, will most certainly result in her death." Storm nodded her head. "She deserves it. It would make me feel better if you sold her or drained her." Remy shook his head sorrowfully. "No one deserves death, not even her. Since I don't want to have directly caused her death," He signaled Jager over. "Give her to Nathaniel, he can sell her into New Midnight." Jager nodded curtly before he picked Rogue up roughly and vanished.

"I sill wish it had been you who killed her. I know vampire law as well as the rest of you. It's your right to kill her for what she's done to you." With that she turned away and began walking, tears pricking her eyes. The winds picked up and a thick strand of hair blew in front of her face.

She couldn't help being angry at Rogue. She had killed him! She had left him there to die, knowing full well that he could never make it out alive. Yes, Storm had been furious, but the loss of her brother ebbed way at the anger untill she was not more but an empty shell of her former self. Rogue had sentenced him to death! No matter what she said about her personalities taking over, Ororo didn't believe her. Rogue knew full well what she was doing as she did it and after. She had taken Remy away from her, He was gone, he no longer existed.

Remy smiled sadly at her, although she could not see it. _Rogue never took me away from you. I'm still here, I've just evolved into the next sequence of my life, but I'm still here although I may be different from before, I'm still here. You just have to look for me._ With that his form wavered for a moment before he took the form of a brightly colored falcon, with golden wings, soaring into the dusk of day, leaving Ororo looking after him, tears of hope in her eyes.

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So tell me what you think? And please, Don't tell me that Rogue was never like that, because she's a bitch no matter which way you turn it and I know Remy was not free from fault, but I never said that he was. I wrote what I wanted to and I honestly don't care if you think I wrote these characters the wasy they were supposed to be. This is how I see them as. 


End file.
